The present invention relates in general to shutters and shutter frames and in particular to a shutter frame which includes a rigid support bar and a plurality of easily separable strips or slats detachably connectable to the support bar and to each other.
Pre-assembled shutter sets are known to include shutter panels, hardware and hanging strips which attach to a window frame. Such shutter sets are sold in stock sizes primarily in retail stores. Consumers typically purchase a shutter set in a size most closely resembling the finished size of their window frame.
Since the finished dimensions of window openings almost always vary, the consumer, during shutter installation, must trim various elements of the shutter set in order to properly fit the set into the frame. Standard shutter set sizes can be as long as 74 inches in height. The various elements that may have to be trimmed are the sides of the shutter panels and/or the hanging strips that hold the shutters into the window frame. Trimming is most often accomplished by using some type of electric powered table saw or circular saw that has a greater facility for creating a straight line than a hand saw.
A problem arises when the consumer does not possess the expertise to properly trim the various elements of the shutter set. Unless trimmed in a precisely straight and square manner, the shutter set will be out of square with the window frame and may look crooked upon installation. Another problem arises with poor trimming techniques when the hanging strips have an uneven and unsightly look and will not fit flush with the window frame, thereby allowing unwanted light into the room. A further problem arises if the consumer excessively trims any of the elements. In this event, the entire shutter set will look too small on the window.
Another problem arises if the consumer does not have the proper power equipment to properly trim the shutter sets or does not have the working space to lay out and trim the shutters. In this case, they may have to hire a skilled worker, at an unwanted cost, to do the trimming. Moreover, trimming is somewhat time consuming.
A further problem arises if the consumer does not have or want to take the proper amount of time to complete the job properly.
The present invention has been developed to fulfill the needs noted above and therefore has as an object the provision of a shutter frame which is easily adjusted to fit windows of varying sizes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter mounting system whereby the consumer can speedily trim the shutter set using no tools whatsoever.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a rigid support bar for a shutter frame which is attachable to one or more width-adjusting strips for adjusting the width of the frame to fit windows of varying widths.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable width shutter frame assembly that requires no tools or cutting to size the shutter frame to the correct width within a window frame.
Another object of the invention is to provide a shutter mounting system wherein the trimming of a mounting frame is uniform and square in every case, thereby creating a shutter set that looks professionally and properly installed.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a peel-away, width-adjusting strip for use with a support bar for supporting a shutter in a window frame.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a support bar and a plurality of loose or interconnected width-adjusting strips packaged together in a kit for forming an adjustable-width shutter frame.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a rigid support bar and a plurality of width adjusting strips wherein the strips are interconnectable with one another and with the support bar in a purely manually constructed assembly.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such a manually assembled construction wherein the interconnection between the strips and support bar is in the form of a tongue and groove interconnection and/or a pin and socket interconnection.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable shutter frame assembly which includes a plurality of width-adjusting strips which interlock and stay in place without adhesives, can be peeled away one strip from the other, and can be reattached as may be required.
These and other objects are met in accordance with the present invention which is directed to an adjusted-width frame for mounting a shutter to a window opening. A series of interconnectable slats or strips forms an adjustable-width frame when the strips are removably connected to a support bar. The stacked or laminated strips can be provided with a tight or loose interfit between each other as well as with the support bar. The strips can be stacked or laminated one against another and the entire laminated subassembly can then be connected or assembled to a support bar.
The support bar and strips may be provided in a kit as a loose support bar and a plurality of loose strips or slats. Alternatively, the strips and support bar may be provided as a single assembly with a series of strips connected to one another and the series of strips connected to the support bar in a unitary assembly. In this latter case, the strips may be peeled from the assembly, one at a time, to adjust the width of the frame to fit a particular window opening.
The strips and support bars are preferably provided with preformed bores or holes for facilitating the insertion of mounting hardware, such as screws or other fasteners, to allow the frame assembly to be secured to a window frame. The fasteners lock the frame assembly together, i.e., clamp the strips together and against the support bar, as well as anchor the strips and support bar to the window frame.
The strips and support bar are provided with easily assembled and easily detached connections which allow the strips to be easily manually stacked together in a single subassembly and easily manually separated from one another and from the support bar. If a tongue and groove or pin and socket interconnection is provided, the strips may squeezed together to form a series of interconnected strips or peeled apart to separate the strips from one another and/or from the support bar.
The interconnections provide centering and alignment between each adjacent strip and between the strips and the support bar. Although adhesive can be used to hold the strips to one another and to the support bar, a snap fit or tight interference fit is generally preferred insofar as adhesive can tend to collect dirt, if exposed to the ambient. Of course, a loose fit can be used, although this can somewhat complicate the fastening of the frame assembly to a window frame as the strips may have to be held together manually during frame mounting.